Tips and information about auto care for vehicle owners near Ann Arbor, MI.
When people hear about oil change intervals, they often adhere to the old, outdated recommendation of changing the oil 3,000 to 5,000 miles or 3 - 6 months. However, the oil change interval greatly depends on the vehicle and the type of driving you do. Also, new synthetic oils have greatly extended oil change intervals.
Answer: YES! The failure of a timing belt in most cars can result in serious engine damage. The cost of repairing an engine with a broken timing belt is much greater than the cost of a timing belt replacement. Timing belts also deteriorate over time, regardless of mileage. Even if your vehicle gets little use, the materials used in the belt deteriorate with age and should be changed as recommended by the manufacturer. Oil and coolant contamination can accelerate belt deterioration and failure.
Answer: tires should be rotated every other oil change, or every 7,000 miles. Rotating tires is an easy and economical way to prevent premature tire wear and extend tire life.
Hoover Street Auto Repair will rotate tires in Ann Arbor MI. We also offer wheel balancing, tire balancing, wheel alignment, and tire rotation in Ann Arbor MI.
Short answer: Every 7,000 miles or 6 to 12 months, depending on your vehicle and the type of driving you do.
Is it possible to drive an auto 200,000 miles… without spending an extraordinary amount of money on auto repair to keep the vehicle running? We at Hoover Street Auto Repair say the answer is a resounding YES; however, there are some things you should be aware of:
Much like the human body, the modern automobile is very resilient. Much like the healthy choices we make (or not) in our lifestyle during our younger years… we may find ourselves at fifty years old and wishing we had made different choices. Our cars are similar. We can choose to avoid maintenance during the “early” years only to find out that the cost of vehicle repairs are compounded exponentially due to the lack of auto maintenance during the first miles driven.
Ask yourself…
Is it worth the risk to save the $50 per year? Think about it… If you drive your vehicle 15,000 miles a year, the difference in cost between changing the oil every 5,000 vs. 7,000 miles is one oil change…$50 per year. Call me silly, but… it seems like pretty inexpensive insurance to avoid major auto repairs.
